ECG Artifacts and Troubleshooting Flashcards

Which of the following best describes an 'intermittent' artifact on an ECG?

Answer: Sporadic signal disruptions that come and go during recording

Intermittent artifact appears and disappears during recording, often due to a loose lead wire connection or patient movement at irregular intervals.

What does a tall, sharp, isolated spike artifact on an ECG most commonly represent?

Answer: Static electricity discharge or lead wire tap

A tall, sharp, isolated spike not preceded by a P-wave and not followed by a QRS is typically a static electricity artifact from touching the lead wire or patient movement.

To reduce artifact from a patient who cannot stop shivering, the best technique is to:

Answer: Warm the patient with a blanket before retrying

Warming a shivering patient reduces involuntary muscle activity, directly decreasing somatic (muscle tremor) artifact on the ECG tracing.

Which artifact pattern can mimic ventricular fibrillation on an ECG?

Answer: High-frequency muscle tremor artifact

Severe high-frequency muscle tremor, as seen in patients with Parkinson's disease or rigors, can produce an irregular pattern that closely mimics ventricular fibrillation.

If the precordial chest leads show poor signal but limb leads are clear, what is the likely cause?

Answer: One or more chest electrode connections are loose or poorly adhered

When only precordial leads are affected and limb leads are clear, the problem is isolated to the chest electrode connections rather than a systemic machine issue.

The technician notices the ECG stylus is not returning to baseline between beats. The most likely cause is:

Answer: Stylus position or damping issue requiring machine adjustment

A stylus that fails to return to baseline indicates a mechanical or electronic damping problem with the recorder, requiring servicing or stylus adjustment.